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Album Sales Decline Slows, Digital Sales Dip

Album Sales Decline Slows, Digital Sales Dip

Album Sales Decline Slows, Digital Sales DipU.S. album sales totaled 82 million units during the first quarter, a 7.9 percent decline compared to 89 million units in the prior-year quarter, according to Nielsen SoundScan data. The drop is in contrast to a 13.5 percent decline between the 2008 and 2009 first quarters. Digital track sales decreased 1 percent to 312.4 million units. Sales at retailers Best Buy, Borders and Trans World declined 33.8 percent to 19 million units, while sales at Walmart and Target dropped 4.1 percent to 28.7 million. (4/8)

UK Digital Economy Bill PassedThe UK Digital Economy Bill passed its final stage of approval in the House of Commons by a vote of 189 to 47. The bill includes an amendment to its antipiracy clause, which now empowers the secretary of state for business to order the blocking of "a location on the Internet which the court is satisfied has been, is being or is likely to be used for or in connection with an activity that infringes copyright." IFPI Chairman John Kennedy said, "The passing of the Digital Economy Act in the UK recognizes that if a country is to have world-class creative industries, then it also needs laws that will effectively protect their rights from the crippling problem of digital piracy." Detractors have criticized the quick timeframe in which the bill was passed through Parliament before the general election on May 6. (4/8)

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